Justice Department Finds Racial Discrimination in UCLA Law Admissions

A U.S. Department of Justice investigation found UCLA School of Law discriminated against white and Asian applicants in admissions for its 2023, 2024 and 2025 incoming classes.

The department’s Civil Rights Division said the admissions practices violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard concerning race-conscious admissions.

The findings, announced Oct. 1, concern the school’s use of application essays, recruitment practices and admissions decisions.

The department said UCLA Law continued to use personal statements and essay prompts designed to elicit information about applicants’ race after the Supreme Court ruling. Admissions staff also instructed prospective applicants on how to disclose their race in those sections during recruitment events, including the school’s annual Diversity Admissions Open House, according to the department.

The department said its analysis found UCLA Law rejected white and Asian applicants with the same LSAT scores as admitted Black and Hispanic applicants. It also reported that, across the 2024 and 2025 admissions cycles combined, half of admitted Black applicants had LSAT scores at or below those of 90% of admitted white applicants.

Law schools receiving federal financial assistance are subject to federal nondiscrimination laws. The department said it would seek to resolve violations through settlement negotiations and file suit if those efforts fail.